Melissa Kacar

I recently had the most amazing time seeing one of my favorite bands ever perform in New York City at Madison Square Garden ! This was my 5th time seeing 5 Seconds of Summer and they truly just keep getting better every time! They have been one of my favorite bands for nearly a decade and it is so crazy to think of how much time has passed since I started listening to them. The first show 5SOS show I went to was in 2015 at Hersheypark Stadium, nearly eight years ago to the day. I just turned 16 at the time and here I am now, just having turned 24 still being the biggest fan of their music. That connection and community is so special to be a part of for so long. Hearing them play so many of their older songs that they haven't performed in years transports me back to those days, music is so powerful in that way. Getting to hear so much of their newer music live for the first time and creating memories with those songs was so great too. Every 5SOS show I have ever been to always mak...

strawberries on a summer evening is a collection of some of my essential summer songs, past and present.  This playlist is based on some of the songs and artists that have consistently been the soundtrack to my summers over the years, along with some newer releases that I know I will have on repeat all season.  Many songs and albums capture the feeling of summer so perfectly for me, which I will be sharing more of in future playlists, but with  strawberries on a summer evening  I wanted to specifically curate it based on some of my favorite fun, up-tempo, summer bops that I can listen to a million times and never get tired of.  The title and theme is inspired by the opening lines of " Watermelon Sugar " by Harry Styles , who is an artist heavily featured throughout this playlist. His album  Fine Line   specifically has always sounded like summer to me and is perfect to listen to this time of year. Artists like Ariana Grande , Taylor Swift , and Dua Li...

"Evolve" by 5 Seconds of Summer 5SOS finally released their long‑awaited sixth album together, and it might be my favorite thing they've ever made. EVERYONE'S A STAR! fully leans into this fun, tongue‑in‑cheek energy that they have been perfecting all throughout their career, but this time through an even more refined and mature lens. I've been so obsessed with so many of their new songs, but I especially love the momentum that "Evolve" brings to the latter half of the album. It's going to be so incredible live and I can't wait to experience it next summer in New York City ! "Showbiz" by Hayley Williams Hayley Williams released yet another bonus track from her incredible Ego Death at A Bachelorette Party , which first came out this summer as a series of singles. This new song was included as a bonus alongside the vinyl release, and it serves as such an emotional closing note to the album and the larger narrative she's been build...